The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is urging the public to embrace healthier lifestyles through its biannual wellness walk, launched in Accra on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Organised in partnership with the Junior Doctors Association (JDA) and other collaborators, the initiative seeks to promote physical activity and curb the rise of non-communicable diseases.
Speaking at the launch, GMA President Prof. Ernest Yorke emphasised that doctors must extend their role beyond the consulting room to champion preventive healthcare. He highlighted the importance of regular exercise, balanced diets, and healthy lifestyle practices in reducing the growing burden of disease. “Prevention is better than a cure. We must improve our lifestyle habits by staying physically active and educating the public on healthy eating and other ways of keeping well,” he said.
Health Policy Advisor for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Dr. Norbert Kipo, described walking as a simple yet effective exercise that helps prevent non-communicable diseases. He encouraged Ghanaians to remain active and prioritise their health. “Walking is a very good and simple exercise that keeps the body active and helps prevent some non-communicable diseases. We urge all Ghanaians to exercise regularly, eat healthily, and take good care of themselves,” he noted.
Head of the Dental and Medical Programme at the Technical Coordination Directorate of the Ministry of Health, Ernest Kunadu Asiedu, also used the occasion to create awareness about neonatal jaundice, urging parents and health professionals to ensure early detection and treatment of the condition.
“Parents and family members should be able to identify the yellow discolouration of the eyes or skin of newborns and quickly bring the child to the hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment.” President of the Junior Doctors Association, Dr. Abu Sulemana Mohamed, described the association as the “powerhouse” of the GMA, noting that junior doctors often mobilise manpower for major activities and initiatives.
“As doctors, we are always in the consulting rooms, sitting, advising people on how to be healthy, curing diseases and all of that. But we also have a role in prevention. Moreover, we have a role to make sure that we ourselves are healthy,” he stated. He further stressed the importance of physical activity, describing the wellness walk as a key step towards healthy living and expressing hope that the event would become a regular biannual programme. Dr. Abu Sulemana Mohamed also called on the public to participate in future editions of the walk to promote healthier lifestyles.
“This is the starting point of having a healthy life, and that is engaging in physical activity that improves the health of the body. In the future, we hope it will not just be the Ghana Medical Association and the Junior Doctors Association, but that the general public will join us in our future walks,” he added.
By John Bodza